Most anticipated films of 2014

With the year wrapping up shortly it is that time to look ahead and see what we have coming to us in 2014. We won't be getting as many blockbusters as 2015 will have in store, but we are still expecting some major releases. Here are my most anticipated films of 2014:

February:

The LEGO Movie
The Monument's Men

March:

Veronica Mars
Nymphomaniac: Part One
Noah
The Raid: Berandal

April:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

May:

Godzilla
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Maleficent

June:

22 Jump Street

July:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

August:

Guardians of the Galaxy
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Jessabelle

November:

Interstellar
Dumb & Dumber To
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
Horrible Bosses 2


Not a bad list for what we have official as of right now. A couple movies shifted from 2014 to 2015, like Fast & Furious 7 and Fifty Shades of Grey, so hopefully this list stays accurate and we don't get any surprise delays.

Here's to a better 2014! Happy new year, everyone.

First official still from Guardians of the Galaxy

We previously got a teased concept art, which can also be seen below, but we now have the first official still from Guardians of the Galaxy. It features Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), Dave Bautista, and Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel).

Here is the concept art:

In addition to the image, we also received the official synopsis of the film.

"From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team–the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits–Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand -  with the galaxy’s fate in the balance. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is presented by Marvel Studios."

Guardians of the Galaxy is set for release on August 1, 2014. No word on exactly when we are getting the first trailer, but I would imagine it is coming soon. With Captain America: The Winter Soldier hitting in April, I am betting we will get something for Guardians of the Galaxy at that point.

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team – the Guardians of the Galaxy.  An action-packed epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the universe.  To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits – Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer.  But when Peter discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand – with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.  Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” is presented by Marvel Studios. The film releases August 1, 2014, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
Read more at http://collider.com/guardians-of-the-galaxy-synopsis-image-chris-pratt/#ES0wSaItIf4

American Hustle - Review

After a scheme gone wrong, top con-artist Irving Rosenfeld and his British partner are recruited and forced to work for the FBI under the direction of Richie DiMaso, an over-ambitious FBI agent. Little do they know DiMaso has his sights set on intentionally bribing and busting East Coast power brokers, politicians, and mobsters in American Hustle.


I probably found this movie a lot funnier than it was supposed to be perceived, but I did really enjoy American Hustle. I admit I went into it a bit uninformed and unprepared because I honestly didn't know what the movie was actually about. I got the basics of the FBI using con-artists for their operations but I didn't really know anything else. I think it's best that I went in that way because the movie was surprising, interesting, and hilarious. I feel like if I would have known more that the enjoyment would have been a little downplayed.
As far as acting goes, the entire cast was on point. There wasn't a single actor I didn't like, even Jeremy Renner, and they all played their roles great. Out of the choices I would say my favorite was Christian Bale as Irving Rosenfeld. The overall appearance alone just steals the show. Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams both played somewhat damaged characters but they still managed to get you to like them. Even though Cooper's character, Richie DiMaso, turns out to be a complete dumbass you do appreciate him in the end. One person I do wish would have been in the movie a bit more is definitely Jennifer Lawrence. I thought her character was hilarious and it's a shame that she was only a supporting role.
Direction and style were both well done, too. I liked what David O. Russell brought to the table with this one and he nailed the 70's style. There were some moments where I felt like I was watching a movie made in that timeframe and not in present day. The actors all had the look, the environments were all retro, and the dialogue was similar.

My only real complaints are small. I am not an advocate for long movies in any way, but I think this one should have been a bit longer. It seemed like they used the interchanging narratives to sum up what could have been shown and I thought that took away from the movie in a small way. The beginning moved a bit fast and a lot of the FBI operations did, too. They also didn't really explore exactly where Richie DiMaso came from. He just appears and all of a sudden gets to put together this massive fraud operation using two con-artists to try and bust the mayor of New Jersey. He set his sights too high and you don't really understand why he did it.

Overall I did enjoy this movie a lot. I think the humor came from the subtle things, like the character's style and dialogue. I found Jennifer Lawrence very entertaining as well as Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper. I understand the award frenzy over this movie and I must say after seeing it that I think it's well deserved. We will see how this pans out when the Oscar nominations are announced.

Thumbs up!

Oscar nominations to be voted on

It's almost that time!

The secret ballots for the 2014 Academy Awards have been made available as of today, December 27th. Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are to electronically cast their votes by January 8, 2014 to determine the nominees. The official nominations will be announced on January 16, 2014. Frontrunners are expected to be American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave as they have been already for the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild nominees.

Ellen DeGeneres is set to host the 86th Academy Awards on March 2, 2014.

Shia LaBeouf might face legal action for plagiarism

I didn't write about this when it surfaced because I didn't figure it would go anywhere, but it does appear that Shia LaBeouf might face legal action from publishers claiming he plagiarized material. LaBeouf's short film, HowardCantour.com, has come under scrutiny by publishers claiming he lifted the material from Daniel Clowes' comic, Justin M. Damiano. After the claim was made LaBeouf offered an apology saying he "fucked up" for not crediting Clowes for the material. He also offered to pay a settlement and work out a deal in order to properly credit Clowes and the publishers.
That doesn't seem to be enough as Clowes' publisher, Fantagraphics, announced they are exploring legal options against LaBeouf for plagiarism. I guess this comes due to the fact that he admitted to stealing the character for his short film. In addition to these claims, LaBeouf also admitted to plagiarizing material from Charles Bukowski for his comic, Let's Fucking Party. In the comic he exits the play Orphans and explains by stealing material from David Mamet and Tom Chiarella.

Basically this proves that Shia LaBeouf likes to read but has no original ideas and will most likely be sued for it. Good job, kid.

Fast & Furious 7 pushed to 2015

I figured this was coming.

Vin Diesel announced via Facebook that Fast & Furious 7 has officially joined a very crowded release year as it has been moved to April 10, 2015. This is almost a full year after the original planned release of July 11, 2014.

The move comes after Paul Walker's unexpected and sudden death on November 30th. Universal delayed production indefinitely to give all cast and crew, along with the fans, proper time to grieve the loss. There was some speculation that with fast work they could still make the release date because they were reportedly halfway done with filming, but in the end it seems they figured the best thing to do would be to delay. I think this is for the best because now they have enough time to fix what needed to be fixed and to figure out how to move forward.
Despite the news of the new release date, there is still no explanation on plot details or what will become of Walker's character, Brian O'Conner.

The Worst Posters of 2013

Along with the worst movies of 2013, I decided to reflect on the best posters we got this year. Just because the poster is on this list doesn't necessarily mean the movie was in the "worst of" list. It just means that the movie had a pretty bomb poster. Again, these are in no particular order.

Here we go!

Carrie
I feel like they could have done so much more for this one. I figured we would get a better poster and some point and it never came. Disappointing, but then again the movie sucked so I guess I should have known. 

Justin Bieber's Believe
We get it. He is trying to be Michael Jackson. Go away now, Bieber. No one cares. This looks like a poster for a Disney Channel movie.

Movie 43
A bad, risque poster to go with a bad movie. Nothing too special.

Star Trek Into Darkness
This was the worst of the "from behind" posters we got an abundance of this year. It is really busy and it showcases a villain they claimed wasn't even in the movie. Even the alternate posters weren't that great. Sorry.

The Last Exorcism: Part II
I think they tried to be clever, but it looks like a poster for a bad Netflix rental. I'm surprised this movie even was released in theaters.

Warm Bodies
I didn't like any of the marketing for Warm Bodies and part of it was the ghastly posters. The red on white was attention grabbing, but putting the pictures on mostly vector images was weird for me and none of them looked good. I think they hired first year design students for these. I don't even want to know who came up with the lame slogans and taglines.

World War Z
Busy, overly CGI infused posters to go along with a busy, overly CGI infused movie. I didn't like any of the marketing for this one as well. The alternate posters were just as bad.

Click the jump to see what else made the cut for the worst.

The Best Posters of 2013

Along with the best movies of 2013, I decided to reflect on the best posters we got this year. Just because the poster is on this list doesn't necessarily mean the movie was in the "best of" list. It just means that the movie had a pretty bomb poster. Again, these are in no particular order.

Here we go!

42
I thought this poster was great. It was one of many, but this was the main one I saw floating around. It is to the point and gives you a nice visual to set the tone for the film. Well done. 

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Straight and to the point. It is a good teaser for the sequel.

The Conjuring
This is great in so many ways. There are aspects that are classic horror, but it does fit with the time period and theme of the film quite well. It gives the creepy vibe, for sure.

Elysium
It fell victim to yet another "from behind looking away" shot, but I think the machinery does assist in the poster by making it interesting. It looks a bit more practical than digitally enhanced.

Saving Mr. Banks
This is just a cute, simple poster. Bottom line. It draws your attention and hints to the plot in a tasteful way. The simplicity fits the time period, as well.

Gravity
Great poster. Beautiful effects and you get a sense of tension just from the image.

Man of Steel
Out of the many, many posters we got for this movie I think this image was the best. It showcases the new suit and logo in a tasteful way and doesn't have any distractions. By far the best of the choices.

Evil Dead
Another "from behind" shot, but I personally found this poster very effective. It sets the film up for a big expectation, but it is simple and attention grabbing and that's what you want in an advertisement.

You're Next
Although I still haven't seen this movie, I loved this poster. It is a bit busy but it keeps your attention and gives you something interesting to look at. I just like it.

To check out the rest of the posters, click the jump and take a look.

Vin Diesel officially joins Guardians of the Galaxy

It has been rumored for months now, but we finally have confirmation that Vin Diesel will be playing Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy. He joins Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Michael Rooker, and Lee Pace. Guardians of the Galaxy is being directed by James Gunn and is set for release on August 1, 2014.

If you aren't aware, Groot is a highly intelligent tree-like alien. Groot will be voiced by Diesel as he is assumed to be full CGI along with Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper). Originally, Groot was interested in capturing humans for experimentation, but after being destroyed by both termites and the Hulk he was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and made part of the Guardians team. Groot was also a warrior in the battle against Thanos, so he is an important aspect of this movie.

Age of Ultron receives another villain

In addition to a main villain battling against The Avengers in the upcoming sequel, we will have another villain to test the team. This villain is rumored to be more relevant to recent additions of Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch.

HitFix is reporting that Baron Von Strucker is the second villain in addition to Ultron that will be battling The Avengers, Von Strucker is another H.Y.D.R.A. leader (along with Red Skull whom we saw in Captain America: The First Avenger) and former Nazi soldier who has been altered to practically no physical vulnerability. He also possesses a super healing power which allows him to cheat death.As far as casting this character goes, apparently Marvel is seeking a physically imposing man aged 40-50. Rumors are already swirling around Dougray Scott and Marton Csokas.
Now, how does this come into play? Well, it is being said that Von Strucker is the one who brings Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into the mix because they are both on his side. If this is true it will be an interesting storyline to see exactly how the twins join The Avengers. Unless they are altering the characters to be more of a "frenemy" situation than an ally.The other question is how this villain will tie into Ultron or to the other Avengers. I also want to bring up that most people are forgetting that we still might have Thanos in some capacity, so if that is the case this makes three villains total.

I am not putting too much stock in this just yet, but I am not counting it out. Until we get more info on the plot of The Avengers: Age of Ultron I imagine we will be getting a lot of rumors and word on the street situations.

Anna Paquin cut from X-Men: Days of Future Past

It seems as though Bryan Singer pulled what Sony did to Shailene Woodley with The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Anna Paquin, who played Rogue in X-Men, returned for a cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past along with many other former X-Men cast members. However, we learned that Paquin's only scene in the upcoming film has reached the cutting room floor. We will have to wait for the special features to see what role Rogue played in Days of Future Past.

Paquin's scene was filmed very early in production and the rescue scene cut from the final edit also featured Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, and Shawn Ashmore. Singer emphasized that cutting the scene had nothing to do with performance quality, but due to the fact that he felt the scene became too long. Nothing but a tough break.

X-Men: Days of Future Past is set for release on May 27, 2014.

First Academy Award teaser feat. Ellen DeGeneres

X-Men: Apocalypse brings in X2 writers

Bryan Singer is busy developing the next X-Men movie, X-Men: Apocalypse, despite X-Men: Days of Future Past not coming out until 2014. Singer has brought in X2 writers Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris to join Days of Future Past writer Simon Kinberg to develop the Apocalypse story.

We still have no details on what exactly this movie will focus on, but there is a lot of speculation the movie will focus on the Apocalypse storyline of En Sabah Nur's origin in Egypt. If you are unfamiliar with the Age of Apocalypse arc, basically it is another time traveling story where Professor X is killed before forming the X-Men. Apocalypse conquers the world and mutants become the superior and dominant species. Magneto brings the X-Men together to defeat Apocalypse and restores the original timeline. In a way I think this new movie could be a direct continuation to Days of Future Past seeing that both ideas are related to time travel.

We shall see! 

Joaquin Phoenix to be in Batman vs. Superman?

Rumor has it that Joaquin Phoenix is being sought after for a villain role in Batman vs. Superman. Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder are setting the bar pretty high by chasing another Oscar nominated actor for a lead antagonist role.

Now... along with this there is already a lot of speculation that Phoenix could be Lex Luthor. Just throwing that out there. Recently Jason Momoa and Callan Mulvey have been considered for antagonist roles, but apparently neither of them would be playing a major villain such as Luthor. The easter eggs in Man of Steel do suggest that Luthor is a part of this new DC Universe so this is very plausible. However, I don't know if I would necessarily pick Phoenix for Lex Luthor.
Even with that said, there is no guarantee that even if the offer is extended that he will bite. Phoenix has been more focused on character driven roles recently such as the roles in The Master and Her. He got an Oscar nomination for The Master and many are speculating that he could get another one for Her. Previously he's been nominated for Walk the Line and Gladiator. He has also been nominated for Golden Globes, BAFTA's, and even won a Grammy award. The point is, why would he consider starring in a comic book movie?

Money could play a factor and the mostly positive feedback from Man of Steel, but in the end I think this is a long shot. He's too high caliber for something like this, imo. Not to mention the fact that Warner Bros. doesn't know what the hell they're doing with this DC Universe.

What do you think? Is this your Lex Luthor?

[Updated] Paul Rudd in talks for Ant-Man

So it appears the rumors were true. Paul Rudd is apparently in very early talks to play Ant-Man in the upcoming Marvel film. Hank Pym (aka, Ant-Man) is being brought to us by Edgar Wright on July 31, 2015.

It was originally rumored that Simon Pegg was being considered for the role, but those were shot down after word got out that Wright was leaning towards Rudd for the lead role. Rudd's direct competition was Joseph Gordon-Levitt who just signed on to direct and star in an adaptation of Sandman. It is assumed that Hank Pym will be dealing with the backlash of The Avengers: Age of Ultron seeing that the sequel opens just three months prior to Ant-Man. There are no plot details as of now and no villain set, but it has been said that the main villain from Age of Ultron will not play a part in Ant-Man.
In the comic world, Pym was a founder of The Avengers along with his girlfriend, Janet Van Dyne (aka, Wasp). In the cinematic universe it appears he will be joining the party a little late as we already have Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Captain America, and Hulk in the group. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they add in a Pym cameo seeing that Ultron is his own creation. Either that or Ultron will ultimately be saved until The Avengers 3.

[UPDATE] Marvel has confirmed that Paul Rudd will play Ant-Man. The studio says this deal has been finalized for quite sometime, it just hadn't been officially released. They also cited that Rudd has been their frontrunner since Wright's film was approved.
After letting this sink in a bit, I don't think Paul Rudd will do a bad job. Similar to the other heroes they have a decent mixture of comedy and seriousness and Paul Rudd is great at balancing both. Welcome aboard, Paul.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - First Trailer

Holy shit. Those apes look fantastic.

Frank Darabont sues AMC over The Walking Dead

Frank Darabont, the ex-showrunner for AMC's The Walking Dead, has decided to file a lawsuit against AMC over the show's profits. Darabont is accusing AMC of "self dealing" the show's profits by setting low license fees affecting the compensation for those involved. He is also claiming he was wrongfully terminated by AMC and says he should continue to receive a credit as "executive producer" for The Walking Dead, Talking Dead, and the upcoming spin-off by Robert Kirkman. AMC declined comments, but Darabont and his agency, CAA, are asking for a monetary settlement.

There is a slim chance this will go to trial. It is likely that AMC will settle out of court and give Darabont a cash settlement. This isn't uncommon with television shows due to the relaxed syndication laws passed in 1995. Examples of previous cases include:

Home Improvement producers suing Disney
Alan Alda (M*A*S*H*) sued 20th Century Fox
Will & Grace creators sued NBC
Smallville producers sued Warner Bros.

All claims were that the studios did not distribute the money properly. The main difference with this case by Darabont against AMC is he was fired while the season was still running and is including the grievance in the case. In Darabont's original contract, AMC stated that The Walking Dead would be produced by an outside company and he would receive up to 12% compensation from the company. However, AMC decided to self-produce the show and as a result, they decided to self-deal the profits. The contract also included protection against self-dealing profit margins.
The wrongful termination is the clincher, imo. When Darabont was renewed as showrunner, AMC included a lock on him for seasons two and three along with a pay raise. Darabont was suddenly terminated from the show and the suit claims it was to avoid paying him the promised salary per episode and to prevent another pay raise after the third season was over.

AMC should the thanking Darabont. He gave them the best show in the network's history both profit wise and in viewership.

American Horror Story to drop hints about Season 4

Word has it that there will be some hints dropped about the upcoming fourth season of American Horror Story. When Coven returns in January, pay attention to the episode because we are supposed to get a hint regarding the theme to the next season. Here is all the info we have on what to look for:

It will not take place in modern times.
The clue will hint to its theme and setting.
Filming is set to take place in Santa Fe or New Orleans.

That's all we have, folks. FX has renewed American Horror Story for 13 episodes to air in Fall 2014. I would assume around the same time in October.

Any guesses for the theme of season 4? I am still pulling for a cult theme, but I don't know if it will happen. All I ask is they don't go for vampires. I am so sick of vampires.

22 Jump Street - First Trailer

Here's to hoping you have a YouTube account because the trailer is redband.

Critics' Choice nominees announced

Once again, 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle lead an awards show. The Critics' Choice Awards are led by the two films with 13 nominations each. I think this list will serve as more of an Oscar precursor than the Golden Globes will. At least I hope so. The 19th annual show will be held on January 16, 2014.

Here are the nominees!

Best Picture:

American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Saving Mr. Banks
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actor:

Christian Bale - American Hustle
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford - All is Lost

Best Actress:

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Judi Dench - Philomena
Brie Larson - Short Term 12
Meryl Streep - August: Osage County
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks

Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Bradley Cooper - American Hustle
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
James Gandolfini - Enough Said
Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress:

Scarlett Johansson - Her
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts - August: Osage County
June Squibb - Nebraska
Oprah Winfrey - Lee Daniels' The Butler

Best Young Actor/Actress:

Asa Butterfield - Ender's Game
Adele Exarchopoulos - Blue is the Warmest Color
Liam James - The Way Way Back
Sophie Nelisse - The Book Thief
Tye Sheridan - Mud

Best Acting Ensemble:

American Hustle
August: Osage County
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Nebraska
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
Spike Jonze - Her
Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell - American Hustle
Martin Scorsese - The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay:

Eric Singer & David O. Russell - American Hustle
Woody Allen - Blue Jasmine
Spike Jonze - Her
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - Inside Llewyn Davis
Bob Nelson - Nebraska

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Tracy Letts - August: Osage County
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke - Before Midnight
Billy Ray - Captain Phillips
Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope - Philomena
John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave
Terence Winter - The Wolf of Wall Street

Click the jump to see the rest of the nominations.

Best Netflix picks of 2013

Since I discussed my best of 2013, I figured I would make another post about the best movies I saw this year in general. Now, this means not all of these were released in 2013. It just means I saw them for the first time this year. I won't include any that I already included on the best of 2013 list. Also note these are in no particular order.

Let's get started!


Goon

I put off watching this and I don't know why. It is such a charming movie. The main character, Doug Glatt, is so pleasant and you love him immediately. Great hockey movie and a great movie in general.

The Other F Word

I was curious about this because it was a documentary about punk legends becoming fathers. Bottom line. This was a rather eye opening film and it makes me feel like there is some hope for our children. If we can have more fathers like these guys I think we will be alright.

Maniac

This wasn't the best movie, but it was a pretty decent horror flick. Elijah Wood definitely had the creep factor on lock.

Curse of Chucky

For a Chucky movie, this was pretty enjoyable. It was better than Seed of Chucky and was pretty enjoyable overall. I would give it a shot if you didn't already. Stay after the credits, too. You're welcome.

Ruby Sparks

Loved it. I just loved it.

Silver Linings Playbook

Great acting, great story, and I loved the flow of the film. It definitely deserved all of the praise.

Sinister

It had flaws and I didn't totally love it, but I did enjoy it. This was a very refreshing horror flick and it had some interesting twists in there. I regret not seeing it in theaters last year.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I cannot say enough great things about this movie. I loved every single second of it. It sounds cliche, but it just understood so much about being a teenager. It was very realistic and the characters were wonderful. Great book adaptation and great film overall.

Moonrise Kingdom

I shouldn't have loved this movie as much as I did, but I couldn't help myself. If you didn't see it drop what you're doing and watch it. You won't be sorry.

Looper

Another one that had problems, but it was a very enjoyable movie. I didn't see the ending coming, that's for sure.


Not an awful year for Netflix. In addition to the movies I watched, the best television pick I had this year was definitely Breaking Bad. That's all I can say when it comes to television.

The Purge - Review

In the not so distant future, the reborn United States holds an annual purge to allow its citizens 12 hours of crime for one night out of the year. A wealthy family of supporters gets more than they bargained for after locking down for the night in The Purge.


I know I am late to the party when it comes to The Purge, but I wanted to see it so I decided to still watch it before the year is up. I didn't have anything invested in this originally which is mainly why I didn't see it in theaters. I had seen and heard a lot of mixed reviews about it so I wasn't in a hurry. After watching it I wouldn't say I am all that disappointed, but I am glad I didn't rush to see it because I probably would have been more disappointed.

Starting off with the plot, I think this movie has a great concept. The whole 12-hour crime free night is a very interesting concept and I thought it fit the genre well. However, I don't think that it worked as well as it could have. The fact that the entire focus was on this one family located in an extremely wealthy area hindered the plot a bit for me. Instead of showing the true chaos and so-called benefits of the purge, they focused on a family holed up in a mansion with an expensive security system. It kind of defeated the purpose.
As far as acting goes, it was pretty standard for a movie like this. The kids were annoying, the wife was stupid, and the "intruders" weren't really seen all that much. The best part, as expected, was Ethan Hawke. While on the subject of the intruders, the way they were portrayed made it seem like people participating in the purge were all crazy or had this self-righteous sense of entitlement to rid themselves of the country's undesirables. The previews made it look like the purge was a chance to give people a night to go after people they've wanted to all year or to get revenge. Not to walk around like it's a game and kill homeless people.

In other words, there was a lot wrong with this movie.

1. The son

The fact that the parents didn't beat their son's ass for disarming the security system bothered me the entire movie. They didn't even acknowledge the fact that all of the events happening was their son's fault. Instead they decide to split up and leave the boy alone in the room with the security controls. If he disarmed it once to let someone in, what makes them think he wouldn't do it again?! I would have beat his ass right then and there. I guess punishing your kids still isn't a trend in 2022.
Oh, and the creepy baby doll surveillance robot. What the hell...

2. The daughter

No character development, insignificant to the plot, and annoying. I feel like you don't disappear to some random area of the house after you get intruders during a crime free 12-hour period.

3. The lack of exploration of the future

I'll admit, I was curious to see exactly what 2022 looked like. The only thing we saw was a rich neighborhood and the inside of the family's house. There was no mention of exactly how bad America got before the new founding fathers came in, there was no mention of who the founding fathers were, what type of government America had, how we could maintain an economy of 1% unemployment, etc.. They just threw you into the movie and made you roll with it with no explanation.

4. No character development of the stranger

Seriously. All this guy was in this movie was a random victim who was allowed into the house and then came in handy at the very end. No name, no background, nothing.

5. The neighbors

I will admit that the neighbors kind of made the movie for me, but it seemed like more of a PSA for the delusion of wealth more than anything else. Even though the people were rich and lived in a neighborhood hardly touched by the purge, they felt the need to still try and eliminate the "get rich quick" citizens. They were a bit cult-like and self-entitled for my tastes.


Overall, I came to the conclusion of not understanding why The Purge got to popular and seriously not understanding why it's getting a sequel. I think people are banking on it just on the concept alone despite the fact that the movie had no real substance and shitty characters. I've seen it and once was enough. I won't be seeing the sequel.

Interstellar - First Trailer

We (finally) have the first trailer for Christopher Nolan's new film, Interstellar. Check it out!



Now, this is a true film teaser. We hardly see any footage from the movie and I quite enjoy that. It is mostly because the film is still in production, though. Interstellar has been on my radar for a while now and I am pretty excited to check it out. The film revolves around a group of explorers who use a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the current limitations of space travel.
It has a pretty impressive cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, Matt Damon, etc.. Interstellar hits theaters on November 7, 2014.

The Best Movies of 2013

It is about that time again. This time we are talking the best movies of 2013.
Now, as always, I will only discuss the movies that I saw this year. I did miss some major movies this year that I might add if I see them before the end of the year. I also want to reiterate that this is all my personal opinion and are in no particular order. Deal with it.

Let's get started!


Side Effects

I feel like this movie didn't get enough attention. It was interesting, had a great cast (minus Channing Tatum), and had a great ending. I even watched it twice. If you didn't see it I would check it out.

Dark Skies

This was one that most people thought was really bad, but I enjoyed it. I thought the premise was somewhat unexpected and I appreciated that.

Evil Dead

I did have gripes with this movie, but overall it is one of the best horror movies we have received in years. As a reboot it wasn't that great, but as a stand alone movie it was fantastic. Great effects.

Antiviral

I went in not knowing what to expect. I did really like it, though. It was a very interesting concept and I like movies that stretch your brain a bit and make you think. By the end of the movie I just sat there and was like... that was really cool. Very appreciated.

Iron Man 3

Not the best Iron Man movie, but a decent attempt. The effects were good and the story kept you intrigued enough. Minus the confusion and outcry over the butchering of The Mandarin, I enjoyed this one enough to make this list and not the worst list. The way I see it, Iron Man 3 was better than Iron Man 2. That's all that matters in the end.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Great. It was just great. The effects, the acting, the story, and just everything was awesome. Benedict Cumberbatch stole the show and I loved it.

The Hangover Part III

Calm down, everyone. I put this one on this list because of a couple reasons. First, it was so much better than The Hangover Part II. Second, this movie actually had a story greater than the characters get hungover and try and trace their steps. It actually had a plot and some conflict but managed to stay true to the characters and stay funny. It was a pretty good movie in general, not just for a Hangover movie.

This is the End

I regret not seeing this in theaters. By far the funniest movie I have seen all year. If you thought it was going to be bad, pray for forgiveness and watch the movie.

Man of Steel

Similar to what I said about Iron Man 3, this one makes the list based on a couple reasons; General Zod being the biggest reason. Michael Shannon was fantastic and brought so much to the table. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner also made this one for me. Granted it was full of overdone Zack Snyder effects and was basically all CGI, but it was a lot more enjoyable than I expected it to be.

Monsters University

I wasn't expecting much because it was a prequel, but I walked away with a smile. Good show, Pixar.

The Heat

Before I saw This is the End, this one was my funniest of 2013. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy need to do another comedy together. They were meant for each other.

V/H/S/2

This is on the list for the sheer fact that I saw the cult segment. It was just fantastic. I would have loved to see a full length movie on that subject. 

The Conjuring

Best horror film of the year. Maybe even the best of the decade. James Wan deserves all of the praise for this movie and went out of the genre with a bang. It was stressful, interesting, beautifully shot, and rather creepy. I loved every single second of this movie. Getting an R-rating for being "too scary" says it all. It lived up to the hype.

The Wolverine

It was better than X-Men Origins. That's all that is important.

Elysium

This one had a lot of problems, but based on concept and effects I decided to put it on here. It's worth seeing at least once.

Insidious: Chapter 2

I enjoyed this one as much, if not more, than the first one. James Wan delivered another quality product and it was terrifying.

Gravity

This is probably my #1 of the whole year. It was such a great movie. I hope it wins Best Picture.

Ender's Game

A decent book adaptation with fantastic special effects. I would check it out if you didn't.

Thor: The Dark World

Another quality Marvel release that was better than Iron Man 3. Just saying. It was better than Man of Steel, too.

Frozen

I put this on here for animation and animation only. I didn't like the movie as a whole all that much, but the animation was beautiful. The characters as a whole weren't bad either.

American Hustle

Funny, interesting, sad, happy, total package. I enjoyed this movie a lot. Kudos to David O. Russell for giving us another gem. 


Like I said, there are still a couple I would like to see before the year is up so this list might change a bit. Do you agree with my list? Did I miss something you liked? Did I add something you hated? Let me know in the comments.

Also check out my list of the best posters of 2013 (link) and my best Netflix picks of 2013 here.

The Worst Movies of 2013

It is about that time again. It's time to talk about the worst movies of 2013.
Now, as always, I will only discuss the movies that I saw this year. I did miss some major movies this year that I might add if I see them before the end of the year. I also want to reiterate that this is all my personal opinion and are in no particular order. Deal with it.

Let's get started!


Texas Chainsaw 3D

I didn't see this in theaters but figured since I am a horror buff that I would give it a shot. Let's just say I'm happy I got this through Netflix and didn't waste my money on it at the box office. It was just ghastly. The story was lame, the acting was borderline hilarious, the effects were awful, and I can imagine that nothing would have even been visible in 3D. Moving on.

A Haunted House

Unoriginal. Unfunny. Tired. Stupid. End of story. 

Movie 43

I don't really have much to say about this one. I thought it tried a bit too hard. I don't think it was as bad as people made it out to be, but it was still pretty bad.

Warm Bodies

aka, Twilight zombies. I didn't like this movie. It was just stupid for me. The idea of a zombie coming back to life and saving the world because he falls in love was lame. I didn't like the humor and I didn't find it that interesting. I had to pause it for a while to keep myself from falling asleep. It just dragged and dragged.

The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia

It made the first one look like a masterpiece. I just found it very predictable and boring. 

21 and Over

Never even saw the whole movie because I turned it off. That's all I need to say.

Jack the Giant Slayer

It just... ugh. 

The Last Exorcism: Part 2

Yet another one I turned off after a half hour or so. I'm glad I didn't go see it in theaters. The again, the first one wasn't good either.

On the Road

Good cast but bad movie. It was too long, too disconnected, and it really wasn't that great of a book adaptation. I now understand why it got trashed at the festivals. 

The Lords of Salem

I should have liked this movie and I was kinda borderline about it, but in the end I found it to be very weird and quite blasphemous. I think that Rob Zombie used this movie primarily for shock value and it had no real substance. I like witches when it comes to story but this one didn't quite come together for me. It's unfortunate.

The Purge

I loved the concept and hoped it would be good, but it just wasn't. There was a lot wrong with it, it was too short, and they wasted a great concept. 

World War Z

Holy shit, what a terrible movie. It had no substance, no character development, terrible effects, and took absolutely nothing from Max Brooks' book other than the title. The fact that they're making a sequel is downright painful. I blame everyone that gave it great box office numbers.

The Lone Ranger

There is nothing to really say about this one. It was just so bad. 

Carrie

I went into this interested and somewhat excited, but I left disappointed which was expected. Chloe Moretz was severely miscast, the effects were not very good, the acting was overdone, and the directing was even worse. Yet another attempt at Carrie in the trenches.


Yeah, 2013 definitely had some stinkers. But there were good ones to shine through which I will post next. Do you disagree with me? Did I miss a movie that you didn't like? Let me know in the comments.
Also feel free to check out the Worst Posters of 2013. You can see what made the cut here. 

114 scores eligible for Oscars

Quite a list!

The shortlist for Best Original Score has been released and it contains a whopping 114 options. Included are Gravity, Man of Steel, The Book Thief, 12 Years a Slave, Star Trek Into Darkness, Pacific Rim, The Conjuring, and many more. Here is the full list:

Admission by Stephen Trask
Ain't Them Bodies Saints by Daniel Hart
*All is Lost by Alex Ebert
Alone Yet Not Alone by William Ross
The Armstrong Lie by David Kahne
Arthur Newman by Nick Urata
At Any Price by Dickon Hinchliffe
Austenland by Ilan Eshkeri

Before Midnight by Graham Reynolds
The Best Man Holiday by Stanley Clarke
*The Book Thief by John Williams
The Butterfly's Dream by Rahman Altin

The Call by John Debney
*Captain Phillips by Henry Jackman
Closed Circuit by Joby Talbot
The Company You Keep by Cliff Martinez
The Conjuring by Joseph Bishara
Copperhead by Laurent Eyquem
The Counselor by Daniel Pemberton
The Croods by Alan Silvestri

Despicable Me 2 by Heitor Pereira

Elysium by Ryan Amon
Ender's Game by Steve Jablonsky
Enough Said by Marcelo Zarvos
Epic by Danny Elfman
Ernest & Celestine by Vincent Courtois
Escape from Planet Earth by Aaron Zigman
Escape from Tomorrow by Abel Korzeniowski
Evil Dead by Roque Banos

47 Ronin by Ilan Eshkeri
42 by Mark Isham
Free Birds by Dominic Lewis
Free China: The Courage to Believe by Tony Chen
Fruitvale Station by Ludwig Goransson

G.I. Joe: Retaliation by Henry Jackman
Gangster Squad by Steve Jablonsky
*Gravity by Stephen Price
The Great Gatsby by Craig Armstrong

The Hangover Part III by Christophe Beck
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters by Alti Orvarsson
Haute Cuisine by Gabriel Yared
*Her by William Butler & Owen Pallett
*The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug by Howard Shore
Hollywood Seagull by Evgeny Shchukin
Hours by Benjamin Wallfisch
How Sweet it Is by Matt Dahan
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by James Newton Howard

Identity Thief by Christopher Lennertz
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone by Lyle Workman
Insidious: Chapter 2 by Joseph Bashara
Instructions Not Included by Carlo Silotto
The Internship by Christophe Beck
The Invisible Woman by Ilan Eshkeri
*Iron Man 3 by Brian Tyler

Jack the Giant Slayer by John Ottman
Jobs by John Debney

Kamasutra 3D by Sreejith Edavana & Saachin Raj Chelory

Labor Day by Rolfe Kent
*Lee Daniels' The Butler by Rodrigo Leao
Live at the Foxes Den by Jack Holmes
Love is All You Need by Johan Soderqvist

Mama by Fernando Velazquez
*Man of Steel by Hans Zimmer
*Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom by Alex Heffes
The Missing Picture by Marc Marder
*Monsters University by Randy Newman
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Alti Ovarsson
Mud by David Wingo
Murph: The Protector by Chris Irwin & Jeff Widenhofer

Now You See Me by Brian Tyler

Oblivion by Anthony Gonzalez & Joseph Trapanese
Oldboy by Roque Banos
Olympus Has Fallen by Trevor Morris
Oz the Great and Powerful by Danny Elfman

*Pacific Rim by Ramin Djawadi
Pain & Gain by Steve Jablonsky
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Andrew Lockington
Philomena by Alexandre Desplat
The Place Beyond the Pines by Mike Patton
Planes by Mark Mancina
Prisoners by Johann Johannsson

R.I.P.D. by Christophe Beck
Reaching for the Moon by Marcelo Zarvos
Romeo & Juliet by Abel Korzeniowski
Runner Runner by Christophe Beck
*Rush by Hans Zimmer

Safe Haven by Deborah Lurie
Salinger by Lorne Balfe
*Saving Mr. Banks by Thomas Newman
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by Theodore Shapiro
Short Term 12 by Joel P. West
Side Effects by Thomas Newman
The Smurfs 2 by Heitor Pereira
The Spectacular Now by Rob Simonsen
*Star Trek Into Darkness by Michael Giacchino
Stoker by Clint Mansell

Thor: The Dark World by Brian Tyler
Tim's Vermeer by Conrad Pope
Trance by Rick Smith
Turbo by Henry Jackman
*12 Years a Slave by Hans Zimmer
2 Guns by Clinton Shorter

The Ultimate Life by Mark McKenzie
Unfinished Song by Laura Rossi

Wadjda by Max Richter
Walking with Dinosaurs by Paul Leonard-Morgan
Warm Bodies by Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks by Will Bates
We're the Millers by Theodore Shapiro & Ludwig Goransson
What Maisie Knew by Nick Urata
Why We Ride by Steve Gutheinz
The Wind Rises by Joe Hisaishi
Winnie Mandela by Laurent Eyquem
*The Wolverine by Marco Beltrami

* the frontrunners most likely to make the final decision list
The highlighted ones in red have already received Golden Globe nominations

Golden Globes nominations announced

The 2014 Golden Globes has its nominations. 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle lead the nominations with 7 each. I think these, as always, will serve as a precursor of what to expect for the Oscars. I expect lots of 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle. However, Gravity could be a dark horse as well as Dallas Buyers Club.

Here are the nominees:

Best Picture - Drama:

12 Years a Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
Rush

Best Actress - Drama:

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Judi Dench - Philomena
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks
Kate Winslet - Labor Day

Best Actor - Drama:

Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Idris Elba - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Tom Hanks - Saving Mr. Banks
Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford - All is Lost

Best Picture - Comedy or Musical:

American Hustle
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical:

Amy Adams - American Hustle
Julie Delpy - Before Midnight
Greta Gerwig - Frances Ha
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Enough Said
Meryl Streep - August: Osage County 

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical:

Christian Bale - American Hustle
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street
Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis
Joaquin Phoenix - Her

Best Animated Feature:

The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Frozen

Best Foreign Language Film:

Blue is the Warmest Color
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Past
The Wind Rises

Best Supporting Actress:

Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine 
Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts - August: Osage County
June Squibb - Nebraska

Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Bradley Cooper - American Hustle
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne - Nebraska
David O. Russell - American Hustle

Best Screenplay:

Spike Jonze - Her
Bob Nelson - Nebraska
Jeff Pope & Steve Coogan - Philomena
John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave
Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell - American Hustle

Best Original Score:

Alex Ebert - All is Lost
Alex Heffes - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Steven Price - Gravity
John Williams - The Book Thief
Hans Zimmer - 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Song:

"Atlas" - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
"Let it Go" - Frozen
"Ordinary Love" - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
"Please Mr. Kennedy" - Inside Llewyn Davis
"Sweeter Than Fiction" - One Chance

Click here to see the television nominations. A lot of people are complaining that they snubbed Sons of Anarchy, Homeland, and Game of Thrones.

 

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes trailer set for release

We will be receiving the first trailer for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (aka, a movie with a title that's too damn long) next Wednesday, December 18th. Fox has already released four posters for the film to lead into the trailer premiere as well as a viral marketing PSA on how to avoid the Simian Flu.

From what we know, this film directed by Matt Reeves takes place 15 years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes and is still moving toward the events in the original 1968 Planet of the Apes film. There will be more ape talking and an attempt to balance Caesar's evolution with the surviving humans.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes stars Keri Russell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Gary Oldman, Judy Greer, Jason Clarke, and Andy Serkis as Caesar. It hits theaters on July 11, 2014.

Frank Grillo joins The Purge 2

Universal sure isn't wasting any time with The Purge 2, that's for sure. Frank Grillo has joined the cast in a lead role that is unspecified as of right now. The film has already received a release date of June 20, 2014 so all of the prep and filming needs to be quick to make that date. Grillo has recently starred in Warrior and Homefront and will be seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The Purge told the story of a society that suspended all law and order for one night out of the year to purge criminals and deviants. It did fairly well at the box office and even earned its own "scare zone" at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood. There are no immediate details on exactly what the sequel will be about, but I don't think it will be much different.

Rosemary's Baby miniseries approved by NBC

A great horror classic is now getting its turn on television. Rosemary's Baby, originally released in 1968, is getting a television miniseries greenlit by NBC. The adaptation will be a four hour series, most likely aired in four parts, and will be based on the 1967 novel by Ira Levin. Agnieszka Holland will direct while Scott Abbott and James Wong are writing the screenplay.  This was announced as a project in development by Lionsgate Television back in July.

Rosemary's Baby tells the story of a young married couple who move into a haunted apartment in Paris. The wife becomes pregnant and subsequently becomes paranoid about the safety of her child because she believes her neighbors have mysterious, evil intentions for her child. The 1968 film adaptation starred Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, and Ruth Gordon. It was directed by Roman Polanski.
I personally love Rosemary's Baby and with the success of shows like Bates Motel and American Horror Story, I don't think this is very surprising. I would expect differences from the film and most likely from the book as well. If you have never seen the film or read the book I would encourage you to do so. It's a great story.

12 Years a Slave leads SAG Nominations

The Screen Actors Guild Awards has its nominations. 12 Years a Slave leads with four total while Lee Daniels' The Butler and August: Osage County were also heavy hitters. Snubs include The Wolf of Wall Street, All is Lost, and Inside Llewyn Davis.

The nominees are:

Ensemble in a Motion Picture:

12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
August: Osage County
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Dallas Buyers Club

Female Lead in a Motion Picture:

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Judi Dench - Philomena
Meryl Streep - August: Osage County
Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks

Male Lead in a Motion Picture

Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips 
Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
Forest Whitaker - Lee Daniels' The Butler

Female Supporting in a Motion Picture:

Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts - August: Osage County
June Squibb - Nebraska
Oprah Winfrey - Lee Daniels' The Butler

Male Supporting in a Motion Picture:

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl - Rush
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave
James Gandolfini - Enough Said
Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Best Drama Series:

Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland

Ensemble Comedy Series:

30 Rock
Arrested Development
The Big Bang Theory
Modern Family
Veep

Female Actress Drama Series:

Claire Danes - Homeland
Anna Gunn - Breaking Bad
Jessica Lange - American Horror Story
Maggie Smith - Downton Abbey
Kerry Washington - Scandal

Male Actor Drama Series:

Steve Buscemi - Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels - The Newsroom
Peter Dinklage - Game of Thrones
Kevin Spacey - House of Cards

Female Actress Comedy Series:

Mayim Bialik - The Big Bang Theory
Julie Bowen - Modern Family
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Veep

Male Actor Comedy Series:

Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Jason Bateman - Arrested Development
Ty Burrell - Modern Family
Don Cheadle - House of Lies
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory

Female Actress TV Movie or Miniseries:

Helen Mirren - Phil Spector
Elisabeth Moss - Top of the Lake
Angela Bassett - Betty & Corretta
Helena Bonham Carter - Burton & Taylor
Holly Hunter - Top of the Lake

Male Actor TV Movie or Miniseries:

Matt Damon - Behind the Candelabra 
Michael Douglas - Behind the Candelabra 
Jeremy Irons - The Borgias 
Rob Lowe - Killing Kennedy
Al Pacino - Phil Spector

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture:

All is Lost
Fast & Furious 6
Lone Survivor
Rush
The Wolverine

Outstaning Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a TV Series:

Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Game of Thrones
Homeland
The Walking Dead


This makes me realize how little movies I have seen this year. I haven't seen most of the ones that got nominations.

Andrew Garfield might not be Spider-Man much longer

Sony has already announced their intentions to run their terrible Amazing Spider-Man movies into the ground with at least four movies total. However, we have some speculation regarding the casting of the most important character. Andrew Garfield, who has been contracted through a third Amazing Spider-Man, recently discussed the future of the franchise and made his uncertainty about playing Spider-Man for four movies.

Release years have already been announced for the third and fourth. The Amazing Spider-Man 3 will hit in 2016 with The Amazing Spider-Man 4 hitting in 2018. During an interview with Yahoo! Movies, Garfield had this to say:

"I mean I’m under contract for another one after this… as far as a forth one? That’s not anything to do with me."

This could mean a couple things. First off, by the time 2018 rolls around Garfield will be 35. That's a bit old for a teenage hero if you ask me. Tobey Maguire wasn't even that old when Spider-Man 3 came out in 2007. Second off, I imagine Garfield doesn't want to just be known for playing Spider-Man. Granted he got pretty famous for The Social Network, but what has he done since? Well, other than play Spider-Man. The answer is nothing notable. This doesn't surprise me one bit. I wouldn't even stick around through the third one, but that's just me. I don't even think Garfield is a good Spider-Man.

Planet of the Apes takes Fast & Furious 7 release date

Fox has shifted its schedule a bit to cater to the delay of Fast & Furious 7. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has shifted and will now be released on July 11, 2014, the slated release weekend of Fast & Furious 7. Planet of the Apes previously had a release date of July 18th. There is still no news on exactly when Fast & Furious 7 will resume filming, so my guess is a late 2014 release date or a push all the way to 2015. Even with that said, Universal still hasn't announced an official release date shift so as of right now the plan is to still have Fast and Furious on July 11th. Obviously Fox doesn't think they'll make it either.

Godzilla - First Trailer

I do have to say that this looks a lot better than I was expecting. I will probably be seeing it and will probably skip the rest of the trailers that are no doubt to follow. I don't want the action spoiled. Godzilla is set to hit theaters on May 16, 2014 in 3D.

Callum Keith Rennie joins Fifty Shades of Grey

It took a while, but the cast of Fifty Shades of Grey is starting to shape up. Battlestar Galactica veteran Callum Keith Rennie has joined the cast as Ray Steele, Anastasia's stepfather. Rennie has recently been seen on The Killing and Californication.

Ray Steele is described as an Army vet who married Ana's mother after her first husband died. Though they later divorced, Anastasia still considers him her real father and was taught about self-defense, guns, and tools by him. He is also a skilled carpenter and an avid fly fisher. He doesn't have a huge role in the books so I wouldn't be surprised if the movie role is expanded a bit.

Fifty Shades of Grey is set to open in theaters on February 13, 2015. 

Jason Momoa in talks for Batman vs. Superman

Jason Momoa nearly joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as he was considered for the role of Drax the Destroyer. He was ultimately not cast as the role went to Dave Bautista, but now the DC Universe has its eye on Momoa for Batman vs. Superman.

Rumor has is that Zack Snyder is eyeing Momoa for the film's big villain which has yet to be announced. However, the role as of right now is considered unannounced but the internet is quick to come to the conclusion that he could be playing Doomsday. Another theory being supported by the internets is that he could be playing Martian Manhunter.
If you have never seen Momoa in anything, he is most recognized for the reboot of Conan the Barbarian. You know, the reboot that basically failed to go anywhere. I think it's a bit too soon to start speculating villains or heroes at this point. I feel like including Martian Manhunter would be a waste unless they are planning on including him in Justice League. With Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman being in Batman vs. Superman I feel like adding another hero would be a bit too much.

Ben Whishaw to play Freddie Mercury

It was rumored a while back that Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) was in the running to replace Sacha Baron Cohen in the Freddie Mercury biopic. We now have confirmation that Whishaw will indeed be portraying Mercury in the untitled biopic.
Dexter Fletcher has been confirmed to direct. The story is set to start in the 70's with the band's formation and ends around the time of the 1985 Live Aid concert set. Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out of the film after being attached for quite sometime due to creative differences with the remaining band members.

Gal Gadot cast as Wonder Woman

I'm a little late to the party, but it has been announced that Gal Gadot has been cast to play Wonder Woman in Batman vs. Superman. This confirms that Wonder Woman will be introduced in some way prior to Justice League in 2017 and somewhat backs up the theory that she will not be receiving her own movie.

Gadot is an Israeli born actress who is most recognizable from her work as Gisele in the Fast and Furious films. She also competed as Miss Israel in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant and served two years in the Israeli military. This will be her first major starring role and will no doubt be a recurring role. She beat out actresses such as Olga Kurylenko and Elodie Yung for the role of Wonder Woman.
Many are wondering the motivation behind casting Gadot as Wonder Woman and are hoping she isn't treated like Black Widow was in The Avengers. In other words, the basic consensus seems to be that people don't want her to just be a pretty face with minor support to the main heroes, Batman and Superman. She will also be sharing the screen with Amy Adams who was pretty lame in Man of Steel.

I personally think Wonder Woman is one of those comic heroes that is impossible to cast and/or portray correctly. I don't have much hope for this character at all so this doesn't bug me.